From 1923-1930, 21,000 Mennonite immigrants from the Soviet Union ("Russlaender") arrived in Canada seeking respite from war and turmoil. Many stayed in Ontario.
They carried what most immigrants carry: portable reminders of home and family, recipe books and other forms of practical knowledge, songbooks to sustain faith and culture. They carried painstakingly-acquired documents vital for the crossing of borders.
Less tangibly, they carried experiences of grief and loss along with feelings of trepidation and anticipation, from which new stories would grow.
This exhibit ran at the Mennonite Archives of Ontario gallery from April 2024–April 2026.
Companion digital exhibit: Russlaender Immigrants to Ontario: Sources & Stories